33 Facts About Helen Skelton

Helen Elizabeth Skelton was born on 19 July 1983 and is an English television presenter appearing regularly on BBC1's Morning Live.

Helen Skelton co-presented the BBC children's programme Blue Peter from 2008 until 2013, and since 2014 has been a presenter on Countryfile.

Helen Skelton co-presented two series of the BBC One programme Holiday Hit Squad alongside Angela Rippon and Joe Crowley.

Helen Skelton presented the daytime series The Instant Gardener that ran for two series.

Helen Skelton has said that if she was not a broadcaster, she would be a teacher.

Helen Skelton's brother Gavin was a professional footballer and has been a player-manager.

Helen Skelton worked in the newsroom at CFM Radio, and was involved with various programmes at Border Television, before becoming a breakfast presenter on BBC Radio Cumbria in 2005, one of the youngest breakfast slot presenters on the BBC network at that time.

Helen Skelton was then a reporter and occasional presenter on children's news programme Newsround and its weekend sports-based version, Sportsround.

Helen Skelton was revealed as a presenter on Blue Peter on 28 August 2008, replacing Zoe Salmon and becoming the 33rd presenter for the programme.

Helen Skelton worked on projects during her time on Blue Peter, mainly correspondent-based; these included reporting from the Championships, Wimbledon.

In December 2012, Helen Skelton took part in a Christmas Special edition of the BBC One programme Strictly Come Dancing.

Since 2015, Helen Skelton has co-presented daytime BBC One series The Instant Gardener alongside Danny Clarke.

Helen Skelton hosted coverage of the 2016 European Swimming Championships with Mark Foster and Rebecca Adlington.

Helen Skelton worked for the BBC at the 2016 Summer Olympics presenting swimming coverage alongside Rebecca Adlington, Adrian Moorhouse, Andy Jameson and Mark Foster.

In October that year, Helen Skelton guest presented five editions of Lorraine on ITV, plus further five in February 2017.

Helen Skelton co-presented two editions of Walks with My Dog on More4 in 2017; in the same year, Skelton returned to host the swimming coverage on the BBC during the 2017 World Aquatics Championships with Adlington and Foster.

Helen Skelton appeared in Celebrity Antiques Road Trip with her friend and ex-co-presenter Rebecca Adlington.

From 24 September 2022, Helen Skelton competed in the twentieth series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with professional dancer Gorka Marquez.

Helen Skelton moved into voice-acting in 2023 when she was announced as the voice of a new character, farmer Annie Morris, in the children's animated series, Fireman Sam.

Helen Skelton hosted a weekly slot on BBC Radio 5 Live on Sundays from 3pm to 6pm and acts as temporary co-host on BBC Radio 5 Live Drive Time with Tony Livesey.

From August 2022 to August 2023, Helen Skelton replaced Laura Whitmore in presenting BBC Radio 5 Live's morning show, every Sunday between 10am-12pm.

In December 2008, Helen Skelton entered and won the Malta Open Dance Competition with a 16-year-old wheelchair user as her partner, defeating 100 other dancers.

Helen Skelton told Newsround: 'It was a gruelling experience, but one I'll never forget.

In early 2010, Helen Skelton kayaked the entire length of the River Amazon for Sport Relief 2010.

Helen Skelton achieved two entries in the Guinness World Records: the longest solo journey by kayak, and the longest distance in a kayak in 24 hours by a woman.

Helen Skelton walked a 150-metre tightrope between chimneys at Battersea Power Station, 66 metres above ground, to raise money for Comic Relief on 28 February 2011.

In 2012, Helen Skelton raised more money for Sport Relief by becoming the first person to reach the South Pole using a bicycle.

Helen Skelton covered 329 miles by kite ski, 103 by bike and 68 by cross-country ski.

Guinness World Records commentated on the award, saying: 'We are aware of explorers who have achieved longer distances, but Helen Skelton's application was the first that Guinness World Records had received specifically for the 100-kilometre distance.

Helen Skelton called this series of challenges her "Magnificent 7", a reference to the 1960 Western The Magnificent Seven:.

In March 2018, Helen Skelton took part in a celebrity boxing match defeating Camilla Thurlow via unanimous decision after three 2-minute rounds for the BBC's Sport Relief.

In December 2013, Helen Skelton married England national rugby league team player Richie Myler, and gave birth to their first child, a boy, on 19 June 2015.

Helen Skelton announced via her Instagram account 25 April 2022, that she and Myler were no longer a couple, as he had left the family home.